|
Pic:
click to enlarge
  
A medievil looking man A women in high stature attire. A women in a field near a river bed.
Wrought by the hands of the All-Father, Humans claim to be His truest children, and the rightful rulers of the World. Through their long history, the Sons of Men have known nothing but strife and struggle. Humans are the most varied of the World's children, however, and their cleverness and adaptability ensure that Humans have survived and even thrived despite all adversity.
Once the slaves of the great Elvish Empire, the Sons of Men threw off the yoke of their oppressors and have since built empires of their own. Inheritors of a world they barely understand, most other races consider the Humans the cause of the Turning, cursed with a hubris that far exceeds their wisdom.
Strife remains a way of life among Men, and some believe the constant warfare that plagues their petty kingdoms will eventually lead to the destruction of our World. The truth or falsehood of these claims has never been determined, but even among Men the argument rages on
Assassins
Pic:
Most Rogues are looked upon with contempt or loathing by civilized folk, or simply ignored altogether. There are some among the ranks of the Thieves, however, who command respect through fear, and whose names are voiced with either dread or hatred: Assassins. Not content with stealing gold or plunder, these grim professionals steal lives instead, killing for their wages, trading blood for gold. Some Assassins are ruthless predators, who've developed a taste for blood and thrill at the act of killing, while others are grim professionals, bringing a kind of honor even to the direst of professions. However they approach their profession, every Assassin must be able to do three things: get close to their target, kill them quickly, and escape uncaught. The ease with which an Assassin performs the first and third tasks marks the difference between an amateur and an artist.
Stealth, agility, and a knowledge of locks and lockbreaking are the Assassin's greatest tools, along with an intimate knowledge of blades and where to drive them home. There are some Assassins who are less direct, however, and began their dark careers not as Rogues but as Wizards, and use magic instead of a dagger. These dark magicians have practiced the art of murder so long that every Assassin learns spells of stealth and shadow, evasion and death. Coupled with intensive training, an Assassin's magical talents make him a formidable foe indeed, a killer who can walk unseen in broad daylight, or even pass through doors.
BlackSmith
A good Blacksmith must be many men, all at once. He must have the eye of an artist, and the steady hands of a sculptor. He must have an alchemist's knowledge of the elements, of fire and metal, and how the two mingle. Finally, he must have the strength and patience of a laborer, enduring hours of toil and thousands of hammer swings to finish a single piece. Only a fraction of a blacksmith's time is spent pounding metal; running a shop and forge involves dozens of tasks, some hopelessly mundane. As an apprentice, you will come to learn them all. Perhaps, in time, you will come to have a forge and apprentices of your own. Watch in the meantime, and learn, and be careful.
A busy forge is a dangerous place. Fires hot enough to melt iron are kept close at hand, and sparks fly from the anvil. Acids and oils for etching are also close by. And finally, the labor itself can be a hazard - a moment's distraction while hammering will leave you with a broken thumb, or a spark in your eyes. Touch the wrong end of the tongs or the wrong bar of iron and you'll crisp your hand in a heartbeat. There are dozens of men lamed, blinded, or scarred who thought they had a Blacksmith's concentration. Be careful and you won't have to join them. A Blacksmith is no fair prince - we're left black by smoke and coal, and we often shave our heads and beards - best not to tempt a stray spark. We're strong from our labors, but raw strength isn't necessary to master a forge. If you've the stamina of a mule and the patience of a mountain, you'll do well. May it truly be so, for there have never been enough master smiths.
Knights
Pic
A knight standing holding its prize.
Each Knight must renounce all claim to any land and title granted by birth, pledging themselves instead to live by the grace of their deeds and the generosity of the people they defend. Every Knight strives, above all, to uphold the five virtues of the Code by word and deed. Know you then the virtues:
Valor: Bravery is the Knight's lifeblood, and the force that drives him to deeds of honor and glory. A Knight must be brave first and foremost, matching his courage not only against his foes but against the impossible task that faces all knights: re-forging the One Kingdom and re-establishing the rule of the High King.
Generosity: As the High King of old was a river of prosperity to his people, so must his knights be ready to give anything they have, be it the coin in their purse or the strength in their body, to any righteous soul who asks.
Modesty: Pride is the ultimate villain, the greatest foe any Knight ever faces. All of our strength is born of our purpose, which comes of the Code, King Cambruin's great gift. All of our works are done for his glory and the glory of the All-Father, not ours. When a Knight forgets that he is only a servant and thinks himself a master of men or destiny, he repeats the betrayal that slew the High King and sundered the land.
Mercy: We strive through quest and hardship to renew the One Kingdom, and thus to redeem the world. Defeat is enough for any foe: let the example of your virtue shine even to your direst enemy, that he may see his error and take up our Code as you have.
Justice: If valor be a knight's blood, justice is his very soul. The strong should not prey upon the weak, as animals do - we are men, and the All-Father wrought us to live well, so that we might enjoy the fruits of our labors and rule as masters of the world. Let no crime go unpunished, for despair is the ultimate poison of hope, and the bar to our great goal. When every man, lowly peasant to rich merchant, lives without fear of war, theft, or oppression, then will justice have been created, and the One Kingdom reborn.
Dark Knights
Pic
 
Dark Knight.Dark Knight standing before a journey
Dark Knights, are rouges to there call of normal and honorable duty. They go on there own valor of honor and disobey all who try to out ruin them. Dark Knight's normally do not follow the common roll of a 'good' knight, but what really makes one a true knight?
Of the five virtues of the Code, three are impossible to achieve in a world of men, and another is a fiction. Generosity is a luxury no true ruler can afford, Modesty a lie that belittles one's strength, and Mercy a mistake. We are left with Valor, the highest virtue of all, and Justice. The knights of old sought some ethereal, transcendent ideal of fairness and called it Justice. It never existed, and it never will. The strong rule the weak, and the weak must serve in return for protection. Only the strongest party in a fight will win. This is Justice, the justice that is woven into every stone and beast in this world. Why should we men not live by the same standard? Fairness is the stuff of sentiment, and will get you killed on the battlefield. Mercy and courtly love are for poets, not warriors.
Over the years, the demands of Strength, Honor, and Valor have grown into the eight precepts of the Rule. Learn them well, and always live by their injunction:
I. Demand obedience from those beneath your station.
II. Offer obedience to those above your station.
III. A ruler's mandate comes only through Strength.
IV. Weakness in the mighty is rewarded by death.
V. The weak must earn our protection and our loyalty.
VI. War is the only true expression of chivalry.
VII. Avenge any slight or insult, however trivial.
VIII. Death before dishonor.
Theives
Pic
Common Theives are rouge.
Life is never easy for Rogues, whose trade so often flies in the face of local law and custom, and can leave them shunned by all they meet. In time, however, those who can survive long enough to gain a measure of success become Thieves, true professionals and masters of their craft. Success brings them not only wealth but finally a kind of status. True Thieves no longer live off of the wealth they steal - they take contracts from wealthy patrons to steal, and are paid handsomely for their services.
Thieves stake their reputations (and their lives) on their ability to pass even the most attentive guards without being seen or heard, and are master climbers and locksmiths. Should these skills fail, however, a Thief makes a deadly foe in combat. They frequently learn the use of poison, and can also learn combat techniques that can quickly immobilize or cripple their foes. If pressed, they are also masters of defensive combat, using evasion and speed to escape harm.
Many Thieves are content to live in cities, plying their trade in defiance (or sometimes at the behest) of the local authorities. Merchant guilds or Noble Houses frequently hire Thieves to disrupt a rival's operations, or to humiliate them by taking their most prized possessions. The Thieves themselves must walk a fine line to remain neutral, and master Thieves are often contracted by their most recent victim to deal revenge to a previous employer. While such a position can be very lucrative, many Thieves tire of the intricacies of local politics, and either band together in Guilds to protect their interest or leave the cities altogether to pursue a life of Quest and Adventure. Every Thief's ability to bypass physical obstacles, move unseen, and hamper their foes in battle makes them a valuable part of any adventuring company.
All information gathered and Copyrighted from: © 2000 WolfPack Studios, Inc. Images from Jonathon Bowser
|
